Suou Katsuya (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sumarusfinest) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
nexus_crossings2018-07-27 02:54 pm
sumarusfinest) wrote in nexus_crossings2018-07-27 02:54 pm
Time for a big ol' Nexus Block party
On a sleepy summer morning a wonderful smell begins to waft throughout the Nexus. For those familiar with this place there can only be one explanation but for those new faces to the nexus this may be a strange thing: seeing so many people flocking toward the sweet and savory scents perfuming the Nexus.
There are a few tables set out this morning in the Plaza in front of a small cafe loaded with several carafes of coffee, a myriad of pastries from more than a few different worlds and cultures, and a large pan of eggs and sausage kept warm over a chafing dish. On either end of the table are disposable plates, cups, and cutlery as well as a few welcome pamphlets in a small container. Along the front of the tables is a hand made banner.
Meet and Greet
Manning the tables is Katsuya Suou, red apron on and a cup of coffee in hand. He looks far too cheerful for how early in the morning it is. It's always satisfying to put one of these on and see the throngs of different people stuck in line together to get their food and find a place to sit among the tables and couches nearby.
"Right then, is anyone hungry? I've got more than enough here for everyone so please mingle among yourselves or feel free to ask me anything you'd like."
((OOC: This thread is ALL ABOUT threadjacking and hopping. I encourage folks to tag on each other's comments and mingle rather than to reply only to me. This is a huge opportunity to have your characters interact with people they wouldn't have talked to before. Branch out! Meet new people! Scheme new schemes! Steal the last chocolate croissant!))
There are a few tables set out this morning in the Plaza in front of a small cafe loaded with several carafes of coffee, a myriad of pastries from more than a few different worlds and cultures, and a large pan of eggs and sausage kept warm over a chafing dish. On either end of the table are disposable plates, cups, and cutlery as well as a few welcome pamphlets in a small container. Along the front of the tables is a hand made banner.
Manning the tables is Katsuya Suou, red apron on and a cup of coffee in hand. He looks far too cheerful for how early in the morning it is. It's always satisfying to put one of these on and see the throngs of different people stuck in line together to get their food and find a place to sit among the tables and couches nearby.
"Right then, is anyone hungry? I've got more than enough here for everyone so please mingle among yourselves or feel free to ask me anything you'd like."
((OOC: This thread is ALL ABOUT threadjacking and hopping. I encourage folks to tag on each other's comments and mingle rather than to reply only to me. This is a huge opportunity to have your characters interact with people they wouldn't have talked to before. Branch out! Meet new people! Scheme new schemes! Steal the last chocolate croissant!))
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Naturally, this is when the Nexus decides to make him regret it.
His chair is knocked hard enough to jostle the device in his hands. "Hey, watch it," he says sharply, looking up for the oafish culprit, but whatever sarcastic comment about manners he had planned dries up in his mouth. That's Jeff.
That's Jeff and Marie.
His jaw tenses noticeably, but otherwise his expression gives nothing away. It's Princess who breaks the silence, peeking out from under the table and oinking curiously. Unlike Caspar, she doesn't remember their fateful run-in at Madrone's lab. Who are these two people?
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"Hey, are you okay? This is why I was telling you to not walk and check your bag at the same time." She doesn't sound condescending, since it was a genuine accident.
Jeff, however, shifts his eyes from the ground to Caspar. "Sorry about that. You're not hurt, are you?" He doesn't notice the Tepig until he hears her oinking near the base of the table.
And both of them just smile and awww at how cute Tepig is. Marie even bends down, extending one hand to the Pokemon. She's so adorable!
"Is this your Pokemon?" Marie asks curiously, wanting to pick up the piglet so badly right now.
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How dare he put his girl through hell and get a second chance without even trying?
Slowly, he takes a breath and wills his hands to stop shaking. He almost wishes Jeff didn't sound so genuinely concerned so he'd have a reason to go off on him. "I'm fine," he says flatly, glacier-like. He scoops Tepig up when Marie gets too close and holds her protectively. "Yes, she is," he replies, not bothering with his typical splitting hairs that he's training her on Professor Madrone's behalf.
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"Once again, I'm sorry." He's already apologizing again, feeling even worse about the accident now.
Marie reaches over and tugs on his arm. "Come on, Jeff. We should go." She waves goodbye to the pig Pokemon. "Nice seeing you, Tepig. Keep working hard with your trainer, okay?" She doesn't expect a response, but smiles and starts taking a few steps forward.
However, Jeff can't stop staring at Caspar with a confused look on his face. He knows this man, right? Marie quickly tugs on his arm again to break the trance. Finally, the sickly-cute couple walks away from the table.
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What would you think if you knew the truth? he wonders. Would you be so quick to forgive him?
Fortunately for all of them, Marie takes the initiative in ending the awkward interaction. Princess oinks goodbye, but Caspar stares back, silent and unrepentant. Jeff may be unsure if he knows the Cylon or not, but Caspar certainly knows him. He watches them coldly while they walk away until they are out of sight.
"Tep?" Princess asks, looking up at Caspar in confusion. He's acting awfully funny just now. Why was he so mad at those two people?
Caspar lets out a long sigh. "It's complicated," he tells her. "They haven't done anything wrong, technically, but I don't trust them, and neither should you." He sets her back down on her hooves and stands, tugging at the cuffs of his sleeves until they're properly aligned. "Let's find Adia, it's time to go."
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--
At least Adia's probably faring better, as Ice Bear (with some help from Panda) is at the buffet, packing up lots of different containers full of food for Adia to take back with her. He's even sneaking in some chocolate croissants that Katsuya baked.
"What other things should Ice Bear pack for the children? Does Adia want any additional treats?"
Panda is also happy to chirp in suggestions as well. "Ms. Adia, is there anything we can get for the children in the future? Coloring books? Toys?" The older brother is also being very supportive at helping the residents of Atlantis.
I was hoping you'd tag with them :)
As predicted, Adia has taken to Panda immediately, finding a kindred spirit in the shy, nervous bear. "That's so thoughtful of you. I think they'd like some crayons and paper most of all. I don't think they miss toys all that much, to be honest. The island itself is so much fun to explore, they've been using their imagination instead."
Time spent with the Bears always puts her in a great mood, so when Caspar marches up, Tepig on his heels, it's a bit of a shock to her system. "What's wrong?" she asks immediately, recognizing how upset he is, even if he's doing his best to hide it.
Caspar starts to reply, then glances at the Bears -- in particular Panda, who he has not met yet. "...ran into you-know-who," he says simply. Adia startles and he adds quickly, "Nothing happened. He doesn't remember me. Neither does Marie."
Adia sighs softly. Their conversation about this went only a little better than when she spoke with Madrone. She's proud of Caspar for keeping his cool, but worried, too, that this accidental meeting has opened old wounds for him, too. Reaching out, she takes his hand and gives it a warm squeeze. "I'm glad you found me," she says quietly, before gesturing to Panda. "This is Panda, Ice Bear's other brother. Panda, this is my boyfriend, Caspar. And that's Princess, his Tepig."
Princess oinks hello to Ice bear and the soft-looking Pangoro.
intended to from the start :D
"Of course! I'm an artist, so me and little bro can gather up some things at home. It's always good to help those in need." Panda, despite his shy nature, has a good heart. He's definitely not a boisterous as Grizz (who at the moment, is having way too much chatting up with other Nexus-goers).
When Caspar approaches, Panda can't help but become shy, waving idly to Adia's boyfriend. "H-Hi...Panda...Nice to meet you..." It'll take him a moment to notice the Tepig, which causes Panda's eyes to go wide.
"Is that a real Pokemon?!" He grabs Ice Bear's arm and begins shaking him, while Ice Bear just stands there and takes it. "Oh my gosh this is so exciting!!!"
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But it's hard to stay mad at a talking panda bear, especially when this one is so naturally shy. "Nice to meet you, too," he replies calmly. A genuine look of amusement appears on his face when Panda has his little geek out over Tepig. "Yeah, she's real. Her name's Princess, and I'm training her on behalf of Professor Madrone."
Princess oinks again, proud of being noticed.
"You should come with us to the Poké Mart sometime," Adia says to Panda. "You'll see all kinds there."
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"No. Ice Bear is not cleaning up after multiple creatures." The polar bear ties off the last bag, placing on the table for easy access. Panda frowns, but he's fully okay with seeing a real Pokemon right now.
"Can I pet her?" Panda nods happily at Adia's statement. "That would be amazing! I need to check out the royal library as well."
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Caspar looks down at Princess. "That okay with you?" Princess nods amiably and the Cylon takes a small step back. "All right," he says to Panda. "Mind her nose, though. It runs a little hot sometimes."
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Ice Bear has noticed Caspar's mood swing and gives Adia a curious look. Is there something he can help with? Of course he doesn't need to say this to get the message across.
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Panda's nervous words of encouragement make Caspar grin to himself. Unlike Ice Bear, who intimidated him at first, and Grizz, whose boisterous personality would be intolerable in a human, he finds himself liking Panda almost immediately, and now he realizes why. "I didn't know you had a long lost panda relative," he whispers into Adia's ear.
Adia blinks at him before blushing and giving him a (gentle) elbow. She's relieved to see him in a better mood and is about to tell him as much, when Ice Bear's expression catches her eye. Appreciating the silent offer to help, she almost turns him down, anyway, not wanting to trouble him.
Then again... maybe there is something he can help her with.
"Ice Bear, can I talk to you for a minute in the café?"
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"Does Princess know any tricks? How long have you been training her? Oh! What's the best Pokemon battle you've been in together?" His nervous demeanor is being swapped out for a slightly nerdy persona. At least his tone of voice hasn't increased like Grizz's...
As for Ice Bear, he's fine with leaving his post since the breakfast buffet seems to be winding down. Many people are picking at the last few pastries, not wanting extra eggs and the like. He nods his head politely, then offers to take Adia's hand so he may lead her inside the cafe.
"Of course. Ice Bear is here for Adia." Panda will be fine on his own with Caspar as well.
The cafe is clean and quiet, since all the activity is happening outside today. Ice Bear takes a seat at one of the tables and gestures for Adia to sit as well.
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"She's a fire-type," he tells Panda. "She recently learned flame charge. I'm holding off on any other special attacks until she evolves." As for battles, his gaze drops to Princess, who grunts contently while being petted. He figured out pretty early on that she had no memory of events in the new timeline, including her run in with Persian. "I don't like putting her into battles," he finally answers, his mouth pursing into a pensive frown. "We explore the Wilds behind Madrone's house and she defends me from aggressive pokémon. That's been good enough so far."
Meanwhile, Adia takes Ice Bear's hand and walks with him into the café. Sitting down, she sighs softly, looking across the table at her friend. "This might sound like a weird question, but do you remember the revelry in the Nexus? The one with the satyrs? Or, um, the time that I had coffee with a young man on New Year's?"
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--
Ice Bear has to think about Adia's line of questioning carefully, puzzled as he recalls the two events she's talking about. "Ice Bear remembers a block party, very lame but got to see you and Caspar. Grizz was there too. Had food, then left. Not a revelry though..." His ears twitch, head tilted to the side.
"...Adia came here with Caspar. Had tea and Japanese dessert." He remembers things, but clearly the details are jumbled and changed. "Did something happen to Adia?"
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Not that he's trying to spoil Panda's good time. But he'd like the bear to know what he's getting into if he goes exploring.
~*~
Well, that complicates things. She doesn't want to burden Ice Bear with knowledge of a timeline that no longer exists, but it does make her request more difficult to explain. "No, nothing happened to me. I mean, not anymore, technically... Listen, um. There's a man who visits the Nexus. His name is Jeff. He's Marie's boyfriend -- the redhead who offered you to work for her? He's, um... he's a good guy. Some stuff happened in his past, and I managed to fix that, but I'd rather not run into him again because I don't want to remind him of what he went through. Do you think you can give me a heads up if he's in the café? Just for a little while. If enough time passes, I don't think it will be awkward anymore if we run into each other."
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For now, staying to the main areas is a good idea. Panda continues to pet Tepig, until his arm gets tired. "Thank you Caspar. Thank you Princess. I appreciate all of your help.
~*~
"Ice Bear can keep an eye out for him, however...Ice Bear is curious if this Jeff has bothered Adia in the past." Why else would she want to keep away from him? The polar bear seems skeptical, but he's like that with loads of new people
"Can Ice Bear help with anything else?"
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Princess oinks in agreement. She can roast anyone who gives Panda a hard time.
~*~
Her expression gives away her answer long before she says anything. How ironic, she thinks as she stumbles for an answer, to have everyone's concern when she is no longer being stalked. "It's... it's not quite like that. It's more like, um... like he's an alternate of someone who bothered me in the past. This Jeff, the one who's dating Marie, he's fine. But I'd rather not remind him of things that his alternate has done. Does that make sense?"
As for anything else he can help with, she shakes her head. "No, Ice Bear. You being a good friend to me and Caspar is more than enough. Thanks for looking out for us."
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Hearing Princess oink gives Panda some form of confidence. He needs it, after all.
~*~
"Ice Bear gets it. A little bit. So Ice Bear is just watching to make sure Jeff does nothing bad and also doesn't bother Adia and Caspar. Got it." Seems simple enough, so the bear gives her a confident thumbs up. If that's all Adia needs him to do, he can do it. "Should Ice Bear be filling anyone else in on the details?"
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Of course, if Panda is as shy as this when he's offering to draw caricatures, it's no wonder that Grizz outpaces him in earning income.
~*~
"Yes, that's all." It's not the exactly the wording she'd choose, but so long as the end result is the same, she's not going to quibble over the details. "In fact, I'd say it's even more important that Caspar not run into him." Again. She sighs and fidgets with the charm bracelet around her wrist. "Katsuya and Harley already know about what happened, so feel free to talk to them about it. Otherwise... I don't know. Probably not. Jeff deserves a fair shake in the Nexus. It's not fair for people to assume things about him that he didn't do. You know?"
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~*~
"Do Katsuya and Harley think this Jeff is a threat?" That's important information to know, since Ice Bear might disregard the warnings if this character is a problem to the Nexus. But if this is sounding like a B-plot to a Sci-Fi movie, Ice Bear has to intervene with more sage-like wisdom.
"Not everyone will understand like Adia has. People are not always forgiving or kind. Ice Bear can only hope for the best."
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"Uh..." He looks up from the cellphone to Panda's anxious face and feels himself start to sweat a little under the collar. It's not like him to offer something other than the unvarnished truth. But... he doesn't want to hurt Panda's feelings. What to do???
"It's, uh... it's a real cute style, Panda. I bet Adia would love it." Princess oinks and he saves face by lifting up the piglet so she can also take a look. "How long have you been drawing?"
~*~
"Harley doesn't." Their mutual friend is good at giving people second chances. "I don't know what Katsuya thinks. He had to fight this particular god of chaos once before, so he might not be too happy with anyone who became a disciple in another life. But both of them are good at making sure Jeff wouldn't try something like that again."
More importantly, they can keep tabs on Jeff without confronting him or causing a scene. She can't trust that Caspar won't do that, not if Jeff catches him on a bad day. She can't even trust herself -- she's aware of how easily she gives away what she's feeling without even trying.
Like now, for instance, when Ice Bear's words make her blush and smile shyly. "I'm glad you understand me," she says to her furry friend, before impulsively getting up and giving him a hug. "Thanks again, Ice Bear. I promise, if something happens that is genuinely dangerous, I'll let you know right away."
caspar's reaction = priceless
Someone help this poor misguided panda bear...
~*~
Ice Bear listens quietly, both paws in his lap, thinking about everything Adia has said so far. Jeff's correction and apparent involvement with Marie. He's still uncertain about the whole thing, but if this is what Adia wants, he'll go along with it. The hug is definitely out of the blue, but Ice Bear goes along with it, giving Adia a hug as well.
"If you need Ice Bear for anything, please ask." The bear can only hope things go better for his happy couple.
he's trying his best!
Please take classes, Panda. Lots and lots of classes. Let a professional critique your work so that Caspar doesn't have to lie to a cute panda face ever again.
~*~
"Of course I will." Adia knows that she can always count on Ice Bear.
She ends the hug, but doesn't return to her seat. She knows that Caspar is itching to get going, and a new Panda friend or not, he's not going to be distracted from the Jeff situation for long. They should talk about it again, in private, before they start the rest of their day. She does have one last thing on her mind, however, and she'd be remiss not to say anything while she has Ice Bear's ear.
"The same goes for me, Ice Bear. If you want more help looking out for Josh." She frowns pensively and adds, "You should probably keep him from crossing paths with Jeff. They have a history, too."